In its' heyday the H Blocks housed hundreds of the most wanted men from both sides in the Northern conflict.

Deputy first minister Martin McGuinness announced that he and first minister Peter Robinson had finally agreed on what to do with the 360-acre site outside Belfast of the former prison.

McGuinness said "The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister will shortly submit an EU funding application for a Peace Building and Conflict Resolution Facility on the site.

"It is anticipated that the centre will be a world class facility of international importance designed to strengthen our peace building expertise and to share our experiences with others throughout the world,"

Robinson said: "The site, which is some 360 acres, could potentially create some 6,000 jobs, securing the construction industry in Northern Ireland for years to come."

The agreement on the Maze's future comes after over a decade of disagreement between both sides on what to do with The Maze.